Search Registry

◂ Return to Registry Homepage

Disclaimer: Information in the Registry is unofficial and not intended as a substitute for any official government record of military service.

Gerald James Bell

Born July 14 1922, Crow Wing County
Gender Male
Parents James William Bell and Vietta Beatrice (Barker) Bell
Schools Attended
Branch of Service Army
Additional Identifiers Killed in Action
Died in Service
Service Timeframe February 10 1941 - December 26 1941
War/Conflict World War Two 1939-1945
Principal Units and Locations

194th Tank Batallion, Philippines, Bataan

Military Awards and Decorations

Gerald J. Bell 1941

Narrative

Unit:

- 194th Tank Battalion

Overseas Duty:

- Ship: U.S.S. President Coolidge

- Boarded: Monday - 8 September 1941 - 3:00 P.M.

- Sailed: 9:00 P.M. - same day

- Arrived: Honolulu, Hawaii - Saturday - 13 September 1941 - 7:00 A.M.

- Sailed: 5:00 P.M. - same day

- Arrived: Manila - Friday - 26 September 1941

- disembark ship - 3:00 P.M.

- taken by bus to Fort Stostenburg

- Philippines

- lived in tents until barracks completed - 15 November 1941

Engagements:

- Battle of Luzon

- 26 December 1941 - west of Carmen along Agno River

- tanks were under heavy artillery and mortar fire

- his company with A & D Companies, 192nd Tank Battalion, held 25 miles of the frontline with 30 tanks and 5 halftracks

Killed in Action:

-Friday - 26 December 1941

- Agno bridge area - held bridge so withdrawing forces could cross bridge

- Surrounded by Japanese troops, with August Bender of his tank crew. The two soldiers were in a foxhole guarding bridge with a machine gun.

- The Japanese machined gunned the two soldiers

Memorial:

- Tablets of the Missing

- American Military Cemetery - Manila, Philippine Islands